Restaurant start-up costs are inflated hugely by the cost of a commercial kitchen. Commercial kitchen equipment, though crucial in starting a restaurant business, can also prevent many potential businesses from opening. Shouldering the cost of commercial kitchen equipment can be eased with a few existing options, making it possible to build an award-worthy commercial kitchen even under $30,000. By downsizing and planning what to purchase and how to structure it to be as multi-purpose as possible, those starting a restaurant business can make the most of small kitchen spaces and/or small budgets.

Lease to Own and Financing

Lease-to-own programs are similar to financing in that they allow the burden of cost of a commercial kitchen to be spread out over an extended period of time. This option decreases the initial financial weight when starting a restaurant business and, instead, allows some of the profits of an existing business to be applied towards helping pay for the restaurant start-up costs. Financing options are a very similar alternative. By looking into the options commercial kitchen equipment suppliers offer and doing the necessary research, a business can decide whether financing and lease-to-own programs are right for them.

Used Commercial Kitchen Equipment

Buying used commercial kitchen equipment is a great way to cut down on costs; however, it can also be risky. Some commercial kitchen equipment such as ice machines and deep fryers tend to last for shorter periods and must be cleaned and maintained regularly. If a business owner is unsure about the condition of a piece of kitchen equipment, using a restaurant consultant can be very helpful. The purchaser should inquire about the background, or history, of the equipment and the reason why it is being sold. If a restaurant bought the appliance new, and then went out of business, buying the equipment second-hand from that business is a save move. If a business is replacing the commercial kitchen equipment with better quality alternatives, a prospective purchaser should be wary about closing the deal.

Scratch and Dent Purchasing

Some companies offer something call “scratch-and-dent” as a purchasing option. The program offers equipment with slight imperfections to be purchased at a discounted price. Since the equipment usually functions perfectly, scratch and dent commercial kitchen equipment is one of the best options for inexpensively constructing and award-worthy kitchen.

There are many options for cheaply building a restaurant kitchen, however, not all are recommended. Cutting corners financially can be an expensive decision in the future. A food business is nothing without a properly functioning kitchen. The alternatives to straight-forward purchasing of commercial kitchen equipment described above are great ways to soften the financial set-backs of restaurant start-up costs.